Crutch, walking-stick, and the like.



v G. .I. HUGHES.

CRUTCH, WALKING STICK, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED. 02c. I6. 1918.

1,298,721 Patented Apr. 1,1919...

GAB-FIELD JOSEPH HUGHES, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

I CBUTCH, WALKING-STICK, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1918 Serial No. 268,899.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARFIELD Josnrn HUGHES, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crutches, Walking- Sticks, and the like, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in crutches, walking sticks and the like and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, durable and efiicient means of construction for the lower end of the crutch and it consists of a crutch having the wood extending to the end, and a central bore extending therethrough provided with an enlargement at the inner end, a ferrule fitting the wooden extremity and provided with an orifice registering with the central bore inthe stick and a cushion cup fitting the outside of the metal ferrule, a rod extending through the bore and provided with a spicular outer end and a stem and knob at the inner end, a plate secured; on to the outside of the stick to cover the enlargement and provided with a slotted aperture,the parts being otherwise arranged and constructed as hereinafter more particularly explained. v

Figure 1, is a perspective view of the end of a crutch or walking stick showing my device.

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section through the end of a crutch or walking stick showing the orifice extending longitudinally and the spike therein.

Fig, 3, is a longitudinal sectional detail I through the spike showing the knob attached thereto.

In the drawings like characters of refera once indicate corresponding parts in the va rious figures.

1 indicates the end of a crutch, walking I stick or the like having a central longitudinal bore 7 extending from the lower end thereof and having the upper portion 7 of the bore enlarged and a rectangular recess .7"; 2 indicates a plate fitting within the recess 7". 3 indicates a slotted aperture in the plate 2 having lateral oppositely directed extensions 3' and 3 at each end, the extension 3 terminating in a longitudinally directed portion 3 The enlargement 7 conforms to the shape of the slot 3. v

4 indicates the spike slidably fitting within thebore 7. 4? indicates a stem having a reduced threaded portion 4 which screws into an internally threaded orifice 4: formed in the spike 4, is provided with a knob P and protrudes through the aperture 3 in the plate 2. Pindicates the pointed end of the spike 4. To hold the spike in the protruding position the stem 4" is pushed into the slot extension 3 To withdraw the spike 4" the stem 4* is withdrawn from the extension 3 and pushed longitudinally of the slot 3 into the extension 3'.

The lower extremity of the crutch is reduced and is provided with a brass ferrule fitting the reduced portion and secured thereto and provided with an orifice 6' in alinement with the end of the bore 7. 5 indicates a rubber cap forming the crutch tip and fitting the ferrule 6. The cap 5 is also provided with an orifice 5 in alinement with the bore 7 and orifice 6' and through which i the spike 4 extends.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised a simple, cheap and durable construction of crutch or walking stick, the spike of which may be either left exposed to prevent slipping or quickly and easily withdrawn within the end of the crutch or walking stick when desired, to suit the varying conditions in which the crutch or walking stick isused. In my construction the stick extends practically to the lower end of the crutch, and is reinforced by the ferrule, thus insuring a maximum strength and lightness where the strain is greatest.

The arrangement of slotted plate and enlargement and the knob and stem is of the simplest and cheapest construction.

It will, therefore, be seen that a crutch provided With my improvement can be put on the market at a minimum expense.

What I claim as my invention is In a crutch, walking stick and the like, the combination with a stick having a bore extending through the lower end, the inner end of said bore terminating in an enlargement thereof, of a metal ferrule surrounding the stick and having an aperture registering with the bore, a recess in the stick, a plate Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

' mower fitting into said recess and provided with a stem connected to the upper end of the rod substantially reverse Z-shaped slotted aperthrough the slot in the plate and provided 10 ture corresponding to the enlargement, said with a knob.

enlargement being provided With branches I 1 at right angles thereto registering with the GARFIELD JOSEPH HUGHES extremities of the 2 slot, a rod extending WVitnesses: through the bore and centralopening of the B. BOYD,

ferrule and having a spicular end and a H. HEBDEN. 

